The setting was perfect and so for a change was the weather, as the University of Reading 2nd team took on Bisham Abbey in the Berkshire Mixed Doubles League 6.

The setting was perfect and so for a change was the weather, as the University of Reading 2nd team took on Bisham Abbey in the Berkshire Mixed Doubles League 6.

Bisham were due to host the match but other commitments meant they opted to play the fixture away and take advantage of the superbly maintained grass courts at Reading University.

Into the first round and URTC first pair, Steve Wilson and Milcah Low, were up against Bisham number threes, Charles and Denise Tuke.

After a slow start they picked up the pace and assisted by Low's impenetrable prowess at the net they came through to win 6-4, 6-2.

URTC's second pair Nick and Pauline Snell took on Bisham's first couple, Mark and Catherine Richardson, narrowly losing the first set 6-7 on a tiebreak. Disappointed by this, they went on to lose the second set 1-6.

URTC number threes Martin Lale and Mindy Wilson, had a cracking match with Bisham number two pair Norman Bhargava and Suzannah Shaw.

They lost the first set 2-6, took the second on a tie-break 7-6, only to lose the third set tie-break 3-7.

The second round saw Wilson and Low against Bhargava and Shaw. Having slight difficulty at first adapting to the change of pace from their first round rubber, they lost the first set 3-6.

The second set was much closer and after some erratic serving earlier on in the match, Wilson came good and served two magnificent aces to stave off two match points. Unfortunately, this was not enough and despite saving a further four match points it was not to be and they eventually lost the second set 5-7.

The Snells played the Tuke partnership, winning 6-3, 6-0, with Lale and Mindy Wilson losing 2-6, 4-6 to the Richardsons.

With Bisham leading 4-2, URTC needed to pull something out of the bag in the third round if they were to stand any chance in this match.

Lale and Wilson had a resounding victory 6-0, 6-2 over Tuke and Tuke but Wilson and Low lost 4-6, 5-7 to the Richardsons.

Bisham had now won five rubbers and the match was theirs so it was a case of damage limitation with the Snells facing Bhargava and Shaw. Having won the first set 7-5, they lost track a bit in the second, losing 3-6 and the Bisham pair took the decider 7-5.

The match finished with Bisham winning six rubbers to three, 12 sets to eight and 99 games to 93.